


The Rascal Price- A Sanders' Sides Fanfiction

by FanTuber



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-01-22 22:36:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18536854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanTuber/pseuds/FanTuber
Summary: Running away is hard, being a prince and running away is harder. But Vigil has been on the run for ten years avoiding his emotional past, finding solitude only to be cast out by his father's never-ending quest to find him. through the years he's made a name for himself as "Boss" a sort of 'Robin Hood' figure in the dark alleyways and ghettos of Anxton the capital of Morialis, the grand valley kingdom of Sandoria. Life was good he cared for the poor and unwanted under his care, day after day it was getting better, it was finally looking up for "Boss" and his band of street rats. That was until his secret got out, and the worst possible person found out.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-THIS IS A GAY  LOVE STORY! IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ! I DON'T WANT YOUR CLOSED MINDED ATTITUDE IN MY LIFE ANYWAY!- Updates will be sporadic in nature, could be days to months in between chapters_ Originally posted on wattpad and will update there first





	1. Chapter 1 ~ Prologue~

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second online work, but my only uploaded one, so I hope you enjoy.  
> ~Fan

"Uncle Virge!" Two children burst through the office of the king mush to the dismay of the royal adviser who had been chasing them through the halls of the palace on their search for the king.

"Woah there, Virgil's working right now what can I do for you two... hmm royal knights?" A regal figure caught young persons in his arms turning them towards the door before they even know what happened.

"Uncle Ro!" The slightly taller boy in a pair of gray trousers, a pair of dirt covered lace-up dress shoes, an unkempt white dress shirt held down with yellow suspenders, and black knitted flat cap atop his dirty blonde locks of hair, "We just got here and we were looking all over for you and uncle Virgil. He promised to tell us the story again on our next visit-"

"Which is now, uncle Roman!" The shorter of the two finally squeaked out after gathering enough courage to speak up to his royal 'uncle.' he had on a knitted hoodie sweater, much like the king's, black dress pants with purple silk bands going down the length of the outside stitches, his hair was an oily black slicked against his scalp, and on his feet, he wore black combat boot with purple laces.

"Well did he say when during this 'visit' he would tell you the story?" Roman lifted his arms make quotation marks at 'visit' before crossing his arms at the elbows smirking at his nephews' disappointed looks as they realize they'll have to wait for their uncle to finish whatever grown-up things he had to do.

"UUUGGGHHHHH, but uncle Ro, we waited soooooo loonnngg!" The taller brother whined his hands flopping to his sides.

"Cedric stop whining!" His brother gave his arm a little punch, "And now we can go and get uncle Roman to give a few COOKIES!" Cedric's face immediately brightened as he gained a mischevious smirk turning his head towards his elder.

"Well, I would give all the cookies in the world," The boys lit up with excitement, "But what would your dad say, V. I bet he'd be really angry, no madder how much I wish I could give cookies, I don't want to betray my brother-in-law." And as soon as the light switched on it switched off again.

"What do you mean 'betray' me, you best not be going for any of my 'dad records.'" A taller man, resembling Cedric if he was an adult, walked up to the three. He was in a formal outfit made up of black dress pants similar to V's but instead of purple silk it was a striking yellow, he wore a black dress shirt under a grey suit with a small tail in the back, in his breast pocket was a yellow, silk handkerchief, his steps were amplified by his steel-toed Oxford shoes, and to complete his look his dirty blonde hair was slicked back under a coal-black bowler hat. He tried to smirk at his family's shenanigans but failed due to a large burn scare that spread across his left temple down past his collar.

"DORIAN! It's great to see you," Roman jumped up pulling the taller man into a tight embrace before quickly letting go.

"It's a pleasure to see you to Princey." Dorian gave a small smile before searching the room for someone who was not present, "Where's King Emo?"

Roman's smile faded," He's finishing up." Roman chuckled to himself lightly under his breath, "I don't think you'll be seeing much of your brother this trip, your boys seem set on hearing 'the story' again."

"You do know I was there too, right?" Dorian looked down to the small faces of his sons to be met with sneers of distaste.

"Yeah but uncle Virgil tells it way better!" both boys said in unison as if they have explained this many times before.

"Ah," Dorian gasped at his sons' statement, "Valerian, Cedric how could you, you have wounded my heart. I don't think i'm going to make it I leave all my earthly possessions to the one son who never hurt me... my pet snake Hermes." Dorian fell to the ground holding his chest in one hand and rest the back of the other on his brow feining pain.

"DAAD!" Both children pounced on their father who was now laying on the oak wood floor.

At that moment the door to the king's office was thrown open and a shorter man with a slight bit of peach fuzz dusting his chin and lower cheeks, in a black regal suit, with silver stitching, and a medium length Violet cape that went down to his hips slung over his shoulders. A simple, silver crown embedded with a variety of purple gemstones rested crookedly on top of his messy black hair. He walked out not paying attention to his surroundings and nearly ran into Roman who was kneeling next to the pile of people before him, "So if we... Woah, what's going on out here?" He stopped mid-sentence looking up from the floor at the strange sight before him.

"Uncle Virgil!"

"Uncle Virge!" Both boys jumped up releasing their father from underneath them running into Virgil full-speed tackling him hard enough to cause him to stumble back a few steps.

"Cedric, Val! What a pleasant surprise!" He tried to move forward but was stopped by the tiny bodies still clinging to his lower half pinning him to his spot, "Can you let me go so I can greet my brother?" Virgil looked down giving the boys a pleading duck face as they shook their heads squeezing tighter on his hips," PLEASE?"

"FIIIIIINNNNEE!" Dorian walked up to his brother after his sons released him from their death grip. 

"Hey, baby bro." Virgil couldn't help but tease his oldest friend as he gave him a tight hug patting his back twice.

"What's up, King Emo." The two let go and backed up smirking at each other before Virgil was forcefully dragged back into his office by two tiny figures. He was then thrown him into a black and purple fur covered armchair next to a large black bookshelf in the corner of the dark room lit only by a few candles on fixtures on the violet walls in the few spaces where there was an open area, the rest was an art show of portraits of past kings and some more black and purple bookshelves.

"Woah, you guys got big since last I saw you, huh?" Virgil ruffled Valerian's black hair with his left hand watching as the boy's brother dashed right for a particular bookshelf pulling out a simple book with a cover made out of dark blue velvet its corners adorned with silver thread and purple circles dyed into the fabric."Ah, I see 'the story.'" The boys nodded rapidly as the two other adults walked in and took seats at a table with a chess game on the top, the chairs had black wooden frames with purple cushions and padded armrests as the children sat cross-legged on the floor. "Ahum, Once upon a time..."


	2. Chapter 2 ~ Lost boys ~

"Once upon a time, in a land called... thirty years ago."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Very good your highness," A small boy in a Black hoodie splashed with purple plaid shapes stitched in random places over the garment was sat in front of a huge grand piano, a proud look on his features. He did it, he actually did it! He played the song he has practiced for as long as he can remember to perfection, now he just needed to play it for the intended audience.

"Virgil." The boy turned in his chair his smile faded into a small smirk as he corrected his tutor.

"Yes, I know your name." The said tutor was oblivious to Virgil's disliking towards his title. He was a tall man clearly over six feet tall, he wore navy blue slacks with a black strip of cloth running down the outer seems all the way down to his black loafers, he held a copy of the song to his chest the white paper a bright contrast to his black button up shirt and dark blue necktie. He smiled, proud of his student for completing his goal, a rare smile crossed his face cheeks lifting the black, thick-framed spectacles."Your father will be so proud of your highness!"

Virgil's smile now completely melted off his small features leaving behind a glum frown soiling the young boy's beauty. "B-but Logan, I practiced so Mama could sing with me..." Tears started forming in his innocent, baby-brown eyes, "AND IT'S VIRGIL!"

Logan jerked back by the small prince's outburst, "I-I know Virgil but your mother isn't feeling well, but I'm sure she would love to sing with you once she gets better." Logan felt a ping of guilt in his chest for lying to the small boy, but it was better than telling him the truth.

"BUT IF SHE DOESN'T GET BETTER!" Logan quickly embraced his sobbing prince.

"Well no one knows the future but-" Before Logan could finish his sentence the small child broke out of the hug and dashed out of the room and out of sight. "WAIT! PRINCE VIRGIL!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Darling, Dear? PATTON?!" The queen laid under layers of silk sheets and fur blankets, her once irresistible features now pale and sunken in due malnutrition and a lack a vitamin D from sitting in the makeshift clinic in on of the extra bedrooms. Her black hair tinted with violet, thining, and oily, once perfect now gray and knotted.

"Hmm, oh sorry Love, I musta' zoned out, heh." The chuckled giving a fake smile, but his face said otherwise, his outfit said otherwise, everything about his figure said otherwise. The king wore the same clothes from the day before, an unusual look and habit for the regal man, a wrinkled up polo shirt, its teal hue faded matching the room around him, a pair of tan pants, older than their marriage, and a gray cardigan draped loosely over his slumped shoulders held by the sleaves knotted over his heart. his dark gray glasses fogged from the moisture and heat of his tears which stained his cheeks making his face rosy and puffed up.

"Love you didn't just zone out your crying again." The queen reached out and held his face in her dry callused fingers wiping away his tears with her thumb. "You promised to-to *cough* to get some rest."

"NO!" The king jumped out of his chair knocking over in the process, "I-I can't... Althea, you must allow me this... I can't, w-what if... if-" The king fell to his knees sobbing into the fabric over his wife's legs.

"Pat, you must let go," Her face showed nothing but love and acceptance, as she gripped his hands in a tight fist, "The fates plan our paths to be separate. You must let me go, fall in love once more. Maybe that Logan fellow, hmm, I see the glances he gives you." Patton's face flushed at his love's words, "Raise our son good, better than us. You must do this, even if it is without my *cough, cough* my help."

"But I... what if I can't." He looked up eyes aglow with a painful shine.

~ TW (trigger warning)- BLOOD ~

"Than you will find some...one to help... Pat. It's time find Virgil I *Cough, Cough, Cough* please," Her cough went from tolerable to strained as the once vigorous, glowing queen of Morialis coughed up a mouthful of crimson blood 

~ TW- OVER ~

The king bolted to the door to find it slightly ajar, small morose baby-brown eyes peeking through. "V-Virgil come 'ere your mother wants to see you, she needs to see you." Before Virgil could reply his father picked him up not bothering with the now fully open door.

"M-Mama?" Virgil gripped his mother's wrist as soon as he was set down on his feet, "Mama guess what I-I was able to play the song. I d-didn't even m-mess up once-" He cut himself short with a sob that ripped its way up his throat.

"That's amazing do you min playing for me? you promised you would one day, and if I have taught you anything it's that 'there is no day like today.'" Virgil reluctantly nodded an ran to an oak piano set up against the far wall and started playing his mother's favorite song. Logan burst through the open doorway screeching to a halt as the notes started filling his ears, he slowly calmed watching the royal family silently, leaning on the dark door frame.

"There was a time when I was alone

Nowhere to go and no place to call home  
My only friend was the man in the moon  
And even sometimes he would go away, tooThen one night, as I closed my eyes  
I saw a shadow flying high  
He came to me with the sweetest smile  
Told me he wanted to talk for a while  
He said, 'Peter Pan, that's what they call me  
I promise that you'll never be lonely,' and ever since that day I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
'Run, run, lost boy,' they say to me  
Away from all of realityNeverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free He sprinkled me in pixie dust and told me to believe  
Believe in him and believe in me  
Together we will fly away in a cloud of green  
To your beautiful destiny  
As we soared above the town that never loved me  
I realized I finally had a family  
Soon enough we reached Neverland  
Peacefully my feet hit the sand  
And ever since that day I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
'Run, run, lost boy,' they say to me  
Away from all of realityNeverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are freePeter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy Darling  
Even Captain Hook, you are my perfect storybook  
Neverland, I love you so  
You are now my home sweet home  
Forever a lost boy at lastPeter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy Darling  
Even Captain Hook, you are my perfect storybook  
Neverland, I love you so  
You are now my home sweet home  
Forever a lost boy at lastAnd for always I will say I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
'Run, run, lost boy,' they say to me  
Away from all of realityNeverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free..." 

And at the last note, Virgil completed playing as his mother's voice quieted down to barely a whisper, "Goodbye... my lost boys." And with that, her eyes closed for one final time, never to shine their violet glow on this cruel earth again, releasing a single tear from her will to keep strong for her only family. Logan rushed to the small boy still sat at the large instrument, as he turned back to his family at the sound of his father's sobs, shielding him from the corrupting sight of death. he scooped him up running out of the room carrying his small figure tightly in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3 ~Run ... run, you clever boy ... and remember ~ Part 1

"Logan stop! LOGAN PLEASE put me down!" The eight-year-old prince struggled to free himself from his adviser's grasp causing both elder and child to fall backward onto the hard-wooded floor of the boy's chambers.

"I-I am... I apologize I should have... I'm sorry your highness." Logan struggled to regain the emotionless tutor facade, for the now motherless prince.

"I- can you read to me?" Virgil looked at the black bookshelf full to the brim with storybooks and textbooks used in his in-home education. "The one about the dragons, please." Logan nodded.

"Find an adequate pair of sleeping garments and I'll find the story." Logan turned to the large bookshelf picking the required book from its nook and turning to see the young boy sat half-naked staring at his hands as though they were covered in blood, "do you require my assistance?"

Virgil's eyes stayed fixed on his small hands but shrugged a 'yes,'" Alright is this the outfit you desire?" Logan asked pointing to a pile of fabric made up of the queen's favorite pajama set she made for her son. "Oh, are you sure?"

Virgil nodded looking over at the pile of clothes and then to a stuffed animal hybrid, a mixture of a black cat and a purple dragon, the queen made for him the day before he was born, and which has never once left his myriad of possessions, he reached out and grabbed it pulling it tight against his chest sobbing into soft yet worn fur. Logan tried to sooth the small boy by rubbing his shoulder only for him to shrug off his hand and scoot further away. "Well let's get you dressed so we can hear the story. okay?"

~ Small time skip ~

After Logan finished the epic, Virgil closed his eyes to act unconscious promoting his adviser to step out of his bedchambers. after an unknown amount of time, he heard a conversation outside his dark oak door, "... But he is still so young!" Logan.

"I-I know, but how can I look at him the same!?" His father, his words stung his small broken heart. Now he has lost his mother and his father's love, it hurt. "HE WON'T BE GIVEN THE LOVE HE DESERVES HERE, uh, the sooner he is off to the preparatory school the better."

"How...How can you say that!?!" Logan yelled unusually emotional, "I-I can help, please?"

"It was already decided."The king's voice was cold yet pained as he spoke words the young prince hoped he would never hear, "as-as soon as I am able to feel love towards him I will take him back, but I Cannot give him my heart, no until I have repaired it."

With that, the two men's footsteps resumed walking in different directions down the halls. But Virgil was unable to calm his anxious mind, his mother's last words repeating deafeningly loud in his head, then his father's harsh words drowning out the bird song of his mother's voice. And that's when his mind gave him an idea, 'run away.' And so he did.

He grabbed the essentials, toothbrush, comb, journal, hoodie, clothes, Cloak the cat-dragon, and a blanket. He stuffed these items into a rather large satchel he was given by his grandfather two years ago, and he snuck out into the halls running right into his father's bedroom he grabbed a hidden stash of gold coins, a small portrait of him and his family, and a cloud shaped locket that belonged to his mother. When he returned to his room he packed the remaining items and created a makeshift rope out of his bedsheets.

Virgil knew just what to do, he rushed across the palace grounds stopping at the armory and grabbing a simple dagger before dashing to the royal stables and throwing open the stall caging in his mother's horse he pushed a hay bale up to the horse's side and mounted the gigantic beast. He tied down his bag and spurred the black stead out into the night air, out the currently unguarded front gates, due to his mother's death, and down through the streets of Anxton.


	4. Chapter 4 ~ Run ... run, you clever boy ... and remember ~ Part 2

~ Six months later ~

After his mother's funeral, Virgil had visited her grave multiple times, almost every day, bringing bouquets of wildflowers to her grave, setting them front and center. But one evening as he left the usual offerings he started hearing yelling coming from the gate near where he had hitched his mount. He jumped up hastily throwing on his bag and bolted out of the opposite exit to the commotion.

Once out of the cemetery Virgil hid in a dark alleyway cursing himself for neglecting to hide his horse more carefully. "I'm such an idiot!" He whispers yelled.

"VIRGIL!?" He froze at the sound of his father's voice, "PLEASE SON, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, COME OUT PLEASE!? I-I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO." Virgil felt a ping of guilt at his fether's words but was snapped out of his thoughts by a voice he hadn't expected to hear.

"YOUR HIGHNESS?!" Logan, " WE NEED YOU TO COME OUT!" At that Virgil bawled his eyes out as he ran through the malodorous alleys running by packs of stray dogs and sleeping hobos, he ran until the sound of his family's pleads were but a distant memory, and the sun had long since fallen past the horizon, he ran until the streets grew wide with a lack of occupants. Only when his legs gave out from under him from exhaustion did he stop and breathe.

"RAUUUGGGGH!" He arched his back screaming at the sky as if it had somehow caused all of his pain, "GOD, Why I'm I such an IDIOT!?"

"SHUT TEH FUCK UP! PEOPLE ARE TRYIN' TEH SLEEP 'ERE!" Virgil whipped around looking up until his eyes fell on an old man flipping him off from his second-floor window.

"Sorry." Virgil jumped up and ran out of the open street and passed a few blocks before finding a dead-ended alley and setting up a makeshift camp for the night.

~ Small time skip ~

Virgil woke up to the sound of rustling next to his feet, his eyes flew open at the sight of a big dog rummaging through his bag, "HEY, STOP THAT!" He kicked the dog in the side sending it flying into a trashcan. 

~ TW - BLOOD AND ANIMAL DEATH~

He looked around at his belongings now strewn across the ground until his eyes fell on the silver glint of the dagger he stole from the palace. The Mut now recovered from the shock of his attack started growling a low threat at the boy sending shivers down his spine, but before he could do anything the stray dog lunged barely missing him as he rolled out of the way trying to grab the knife a few yards away. But before he could outstretch his hand towards the blade the hound jumped on top of him tearing deep cuts into the soft flesh of his back ripping his clothes into shreds and soaking them in the boy's own blood. "AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Virgil arched his back in pain a shriek ripping through the knight air emitting from his small mouth. 

The dog jumped back circling the prince, in the same way, predators do when playing with their prey, which was a mistake since this gave Virgil a chance to wrap his fingers around the hilt of the guarded dagger whipping around just in time to see the hound lunge again. This time though the boy held the knife outstretched in front of him impaling the dog killing it instantly as it released a pained yelp. 

The now blood covered boy tried to stand but found he couldn't he fell to his knees crying out in pain, his mind so clouded by the pain that he barely even realized the crowd at the entrance to the alcove watching him he heard, "someone...ind the...ctor!" and "HEL... O...R ...ERE!" He was half conscious as he felt arms wrap under his shoulder blades and knees, that was the last thing he could register before blackness took over.

~ TW - OVER ~

"EY... iddo..." Virgil woke groggily to the sound of a man's voice, "HEY, there you go, kid, come on wake up," Virgil's eye's opened and his vision was blurred and spotted from the light of the sun blinding him causing him to slam his eyes closed again.

"Hmm, bright." Virgil's voice was strained and quiet.

"Oh, one moment." The world got suddenly darker so Virgil tried t open his eyes again to be met with a man's worried face at the end of the bed he was laid in, " You're a lucky kid, most people would've walked on by, a drunker found you and called for help and he helped me bring you here." The man said who Virgil could see now that his vision wasn't blurry, a medium height man in tan slacks, a white dress shirt with a black necktie tied up under the collar, Virgil had to squint slightly at the bright yellow sweater he wore. Looking up Virgil's heart stopped, the man in front of him look just like his father except he wasn't his glasses were thinner and his eyes were brown like his own and not blue like his father's.

After examining the man he looked around the room, it was just like the clinic the palace had used for his mother, a dark room with medical tools on various surfaces but instead of a left wall, there was a curtain instead as if the room was split in two. He noticed me staring at it and said, "That's for sessions with clients." My eyes widened, "Oh no it's not what your eyes are insinuating. No, no definitely not like that, I'm a doctor of both the mind and body. My office has been split accordingly."

"Y-you're a doctor?" My voice rough from last night's screams.

"Oh, how rude of me, my name is Doctor Emile Picani." His face flushed with embarrassment from forgetting introductions as he smiled, "I never learned your name either, do you mind telling me?" SHIT.

"I-I uh... don't have one." GREAT THAT'S A GREAT EXCUSE! 

"Well, that sounds improbable all creatures have a label like wolves are wolves, as I am Dr. Picani. But if you don't want to tell me, do you have a nickname you go by?" The doctor smiled kindly acceptance of Virgil's choice written all over his spectacled face.

"Um, I-I guess you could call me 'V,' I don't know, call me whatever you like Sir." Virgil returned the doctor's expression with a sad embarrassed smile.

"Ol' righty then, it's a pleasure to meet you V." Virgil shook Emile's outstretched hand in formal greeting, after the more through introductions between the two.


	5. Chapter 5 ~ Unpaid intern~

"It's been almost three weeks since Dr. Picani found me and took me in, he's adamant that it was the drunk that saved me, but I mean I don't see him taking me in. Like I have not even met while conscious. I'm getting off track, so since some fuckers stole all my stuff, but my journal, thank God, I can't really pay Picani back so I offered t work for him, no pay. So I went from prince to child unpaid intern in less than a year. It sucks that I can't start working yet, I wanna be able to walk farther than the counter three feet from the bed. But that's what I get for picking a fight with a stray dog. Jesus, that fuck did some damage." Virgil shut his journal Logan gave him for his seventh birthday. Picani had suggested using it more often after his last few cuts healed into sensitive scars, he said most patients he prescribed bed rest found it comforting and entertaining to write their thoughts down on paper. Virgil wouldn't lie, it did help the crippling boredom, if only a little bit.

"Ah you're finally awake, I thought you might be hungry so I made soup and a batch of cookies for dessert." Picani walked through the curtain in his usual outfit with a white apron over top.

"Smells good, thank you, Doctor." The man's happy ora fell slightly as he placed the tray fo food next to the medical cot the boy laid in.

"Oh, Please call me Emile of if you must Picani." Emile smiled kindly at Virgil.

"Well, okay I guess. Emile?" Virgil stretched out his hand in a truce. Emile gladly shook it gleefully. "I get to start moving around tomorrow correct?"

Emile nodded taking a seat on a small stool next to the cot. "That's right. What's the first thing on your agenda?" Virgil frowned he hadn't thought of anything but paying the Doctor back since he had woke up to a throbbing pain in his, well entire back.

"Um, I guess do my part to pay you back. I'm not one for planning, my teacher is amazing at it though!" Virgil smiled wide thinking back to Logan's long plans for success, and the time his father had actually fallen asleep in one of their meetings. "He could go on and on about how important planning is, I bet you two would be great friends. No scratch that you, him, and my father would be great friends. You can act like a fusion of the two of them at times if not one or the other." He chuckled causing Emile to snicker imagining the pair he described.

"They sound like a blast." He smiled, but faltered as confusion washed over him, "But you seem to hold them in high regard. So if you don't mind me asking, of course, why did you run?" He tilted his head like a confused puppy.

"Oh, well I don't know I-" He cut himself off and cleared his throat, "My, uh, mother died and the two of us, my father and I, just broke and I guess I really don't have a reason to why I ran it just felt right at that moment."

"I can understand, my wife left me once she found out the few secrets I kept from my family. she left me out of the blue with our son." Emile's eyes glazed over as he nostalgized through his past.

"You have a son?" Now Virgil was confused.

"Yes he, well, he ran from our home outside town after we had a rather charged argument." Emile looked down, "I had actually half hoped you were him when I was dragged to find you that night." He looked away guiltily not meeting Virgil's eyes.

"Oh, I wish I could do something for you." Virgil didn't care how he or why he found him, it was lucky enough that anyone found him at all.

The rest of the evening was spent talking as they ate dinner. Virgil learned that Emile used a concept of mind medicine called 'cartoon therapy,' which he came up with as a way to connect with clients as a doctor of the mind. It compares popular and famous stories, legends, and theater shows to the life of his clients. After supper, Emile changed a sleeping Virgil's bandages and left him to rest.


	6. Chapter 6 ~ The outsider~

~ Nine months later ~

"Work's been getting easier now that my back is fully healed, having to put that disgusting cream Picani gave me to help the scars feel less sensitive and painful, SUCKED! Not only did it stink like dog shit but it barely worked! I don't know how I'll ever explain the huge scars to dad though, or Logan they'd freak the fuck out. I mean I only need to worry about that if I go back. But I still feel like staying away, at least for now. Last week Emile found out I liked music and bought me a guitar and now he's started giving me lessons when neither of us are working. Alongside the apprenticeship and the few chores and odd jobs I do for Emile, I also started working as a janitor slash waiter, at a nearby pub that holds an illegal fight club in the basement, but only on Saturdays. I heard the winner gets a huge reward if the can beat every challenger, but it's almost impossible. I wonder if I could sign up? I mean I'd need to bulk up and all that, but if they allow a nine-year-old to bust tables and clean a pub would they really be so against letting one fight in an already illegal fight club? I'll have to think about that more." Virgil closed and put away his journal in it's hiding spot and blew out the candle at his desk moving over to the other side of the now pitch black room and tucked himself into the guest room bed and quickly drifted to sleep.

Virgil woke up a few hours later to the all too familiar sound of arguing on the ground floor of Emile's woodland cottage outside the city walls.

"I-I how do you know a-about my son?" Emile's voice was shaky and full of fear but still acted intimidating.

"You are not the one who gets to ask questions Traitor!" A husky and rough male's voice growled lowly. "You get us what we require and the sorcerer may tell you what he knows, you still seem to forget you owe us." Emile gulped sounding nervous.

"I-I haven't forgotten I have had other more pressing issues to attend to first... that's all." The other man growled.

"You have three months until you must present the book to the boss, if you don't have it, well we don't always have to listen to orders, do we? If I were in charge you'd already be hanging by the neck watching embers fly up from your home. I wish you a'do, don't fail us AGAIN!" With that, the front door slammed shut, rattling the whole house, leaving an emotionally charged Emile staring blankly at it, and a bewildered Virgil leaning against his door.

~Two months later ~

Virgil gripped his bag tight as he walked home from his afternoon shift at the King's Head pub and quickly became lost in his cascade of never-ending thoughts, and consequently became physically lost in the process. "This is just Fucking GREAT!" He looked up now aware of his predicament, "God, Emile's gonna be pissed, just great." He grumbled as he found a familiar path back to Emil's home. It would take him much longer to get back now. 

Virgil made back onto the main street and a (Gay-) straight forward path back home. After about three minutes Virgil was stopped suddenly in his tracks.

"Hey, hold up there Drifter. where ya goin'?" Virgil turned to see a few privileged schoolboys quickening their pace to catch up to him.

"Home, I'm sorry I can't be late. So could you please excuse me... HEY, WHAT THE HEL-MMRFFMF!" The boy in front grabbed Virgil and dragged him the nearest alleyway, where he continued to throw Virgil to the muddy ground.

"You should we don't like Drifters here, Bitch!" The one who grabbed him, the leader, growled earning snickers and nods of approval from his henchmen. "You dirty up the streets with your sad sack attitude. Hey, what do ya guys think we teach this Greaser fuck to stay off our streets?" This was met with cheers as the two others grabbed Virgil by the shoulders yanking him to his feet pinning him in place as the boss stalked over to the three a malicious grin spread wide across his face.

~ TW: Blood ~

The leader now stood less than a foot away as Virgil struggle to free himself from the death grip on his shoulders. "Oh, I totally forgot introductions. I mean does it really matter though, you are just a Greaser. Ah well, I might as well introduce myself, My name's Dorian." 

As Dorian said his name he punched Virgil right in the stomach, and before he knew what had happened Dorian Landed a hook right front and center on his nose, all but breaking it in the process. The beatings went on for almost half an hour before the boys got bored and dropped him leaving Dorian and a busted up Virgil to finish up alone.

"I don't wanna see your face ever again, you weak fuck. I hope you burn in hell before we meet again." Dorian spat in Virgil's bloodied face and walked off back into public as though nothing happened.


	7. Chapter 7 ~ I'm not okay (I promise) ~

Quick Announcement 

~A/N~

Okay, so I would like to dedicate this chapter to a special man. His name was Phil Washington he taught ninth grade US History at North Farmington high school, until his untimely death, at age sixty-four if I can recall, from an infection on Tuesday of the week of writing this chapter, March nineteenth twenty-nineteen. He cared greatly for his students and even edited his lessons to benefit us, his students. He has taught at over three schools in the district and his loss is tremendous to the FPS school district. He has kept and kindled, my enjoyment of history, by not only keeping my interest with videos and interactive activities but giving me the strength to combat my dyslexia, dysgraphia, and heightened anxiety. He was a kind man and amazing teacher and will forever be remembered in the hearts of his fellow educators, friends, family, and above all his students. We all love and cherish you, Mr. Washington,

Sincerely, 

~your loving student, L.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Today sucked, December nineteenth is now on my shit-list under 'my least favorite day ever.' Great fucking birthday huh, double digits, WoOOoooooOOo. Those dip-shits just wait until I see them again. fuck who am I kidding I'm-" Virgil's thoughts were abruptly cut off as he looked up to see Emile's front door staring back at him.

"Emile, I'm back! I'm so sorry I got lost." Virgil practically burst the door off its hinges as he ran through the entryway, "I am really sorry if I made you worry. Emile?"

"Kitchen!" Virgil sprinted to the kitchen after hearing his mentor's voice, but almost faceplanted into said mentor as he stood in front of the doorway halting him, "And it's quite alright that you were late V, it was better anyway. Because I had time to do, THIS... Da, da-da Dum da dum!" Emile waved his hands in random directions as he slowly backed into the kitchen making drum sounds with his mouth.

"What the heck is this!?" Virgil's eyes widened at the sight in front of him the small dining table in the center of the room was covered in a purple cloth and atop that sat Virgil's favorite meal. A plater piled high oven roasted chicken bathed in dried corn flakes crisped to perfection, and on another plater next to that one was a stack just as high of oven roasted potato wedges. His mouth watered just at the smell let alone the sight of the main course on the only other space on the table sat a plate of fresh cannoli and an unopened gift wrapped with purple ribbon and brown paper.

"I hope you like it. I was just going to pick up some laundry this morning since I don't have work and I thought I'd give you a break on the house chores." Emile smiled awkwardly, "I, uh. Well, I saw your journal was open to today's page when I went to blow out your candle. It was a total accident and I'm really sorry that I was snooping, but it said that today is your birthday and it talked about how you used to celebrate with your family. So I thought I would give cooking a shot and make your favorite meal." Virgil could barely see anymore, due to the salty tears pooling behind his eyelids.

"This is amazing I... just thanks, I needed this today." Virgil whipped away his tears and gave his mentor a tight, yet quick, embrace.

"Well, what does that mean. It's your birthday, are you telling me the world didn't revolve around you on your special day. Do I need to knock some sense into some peeps?" Emile joked, but he truly felt worried for his young apprentice.

"Um, no I'm fine." Emile looked straight(gay-) into Virgil's eyes sensing his dishonesty.

"Oh, so your melancholic attitude, on the best day ever, is not because of the black eye right there?" Emile pointed to Virgil's left eye with his right index finger so close he almost poked him in the flesh around his eye which was visibly bruised even behind his eyeshadow and the dark hood covering his face.

"Oh that it's nothing really, I just slipped?" Virgil shrugged. " I just slipped, okay? that's all. But I'm starved and the food's getting cold, so let's eat and forget you ever saw my black eye." Virgil didn't wait for Emile to reply as he dove for his seat at the table and began to dig into the feast his mentor prepared for him.

After dinner, Emile started to get extremely giddy as they ate their dessert in silence. And as soon as Virgil finished off the remaining sweets on his plate the doctor lept up and cleared the pile of dishes and placed Virgil's one and only gift right in the center of their small circular dining table. "Alright, I've been patient all night now open your gift before I do it for you!" He was almost vibrating with how excited he was as Virgil undid the purple ribbon around the box.

"Geez, slow your roll I'm already opening it." Virgil couldn't help but chuckle at his mentor's childish behavior. As he finally opened the box and removed its contents from inside his eyes widened at what he saw. "Is this sheet music?"

"Yep, and I made sure to pick songs I thought you'd like! There's also one more surprise but it's at the shop. So here's the thing I know it's late but I thought that-" Virgil's head snapped up suddenly as he interrupted the doctor's ramblings.

"Wait a lot of these are for piano, how'd you know I played?" Virgil's face was beaming with happiness as he imagined being able to play piano again. "It was actually the only instrument I knew how to play before you gave me guitar lessons, this is awesome!"

"Oh, I actually didn't know you could play, I was hoping that I could teach you some. But that brings me back to the topic at hand, so there's a bit more to your surprise but it's at the shop and it is getting late." Virgil opened his mouth to protest but Emile kept talking spinning around the room, due to hyperactivity, as he talked. "And finally it looks like you could use some rest with that black eye and all. So as my official medical opinion I believe it would be best to continue the celebration in the morning."

"Yeah I guess that sounds better than stumbling through the streets at night, and I do look like a corpse. My workload just wouldn't stop growing today, that Dorian fuck didn't help things either." Emile snapped around and ducked down to stare directly into Virgil's eyes.

"First off, LANGUAGE!" Virgil flinched back at the loud sound of his mentor yelling in his face, "And second, is this 'Dorian' fellow the one who gave that black eye?" Emile rested his hands on both of Virgil's shoulders and looked at his turned head with a look of care and worry.

"I-I uh, yes." Virgil looked down his voice barely a whisper as his eyes brimmed with tears, "Him and some goons jumped me after I got lost."

"Oh kid, I'm so sorry. I knew it was a bad idea to let you work in that part of town." Emile embraced Virgil whipping away his tears with his shoulder unknowingly, "All those big town, prep school, big shots always look down on anyone not wearing a spotless tuxedo."

"Yeah I kinda already got that impression, it's okay though and the bar isn't a total shit-hole."

"Don't make me smack some sense into you, young man. I don't permit such language in my home!" Emile, even though felling distaste at Virgil's use of cuss words, smiled all the same, and even chuckled a little.


	8. Chapter 8 ~ This is Riddikulus ~ Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music videos are a big inspiration for my writing and my chapters will occasionally be paired with songs. Now on Wattpad, you can embed videos into the chapter but here on AO3 you cannot, so when said chapters appear I will paste the exact name of the video and its creator used in this note section. My sincerest apologies.  
> ~Fan  
> (FOSTER THE PEOPLE - PUMPED UP KICKS - Piano Tutorial : By Sheet Music boss on YouTube)

"My lord." A hefty but short man in a dark crimson cloak, It's color such a rich red it would put blood to shame, walked through a dark chamber lit only by the faint glow of multicolored, magically fueled torches. He stopped and bowed his head moving from standing into a kneel on hand over his heart and the other resting carefully on his armored thigh. He sat perfectly still a few yards in front of twenty or so steps leading to gold throne atop which sat a slim, tall man in an even darker cloak, the hood pulled over his entire head masking his whole face in shadows. The king-like man leaned forward and gave his follower a grunt, wordlessly telling him to continue on with his report, "The doctor still has yet to make any progress on finding the pages, and I have personally scanned his area for any trace of their magical aura, I have found nothing. The fact he only has two more weeks til he must present the finished book proves to me that he is purposefully not making any progress and will evidently fail you once again." 

"Well we can't be having that can we? I don't doubt he's made progress, but the fact he has hidden this fact from us is unacceptable and would earn a punishment. I think that sounds completely fair, how about you?" Even though the Lord's face was hidden you could almost feel the menacing grin spread across his features.

"He has played with fire without consequence for far too long my lord."

"Good, send him a message. A simple note on the door to his clinic will do, tell him to hand over the book and we'll let him live, and his debt will be paid, but if he truly does not have the book we shall burn his home and clinic to the ground for, as you said, 'playing with fire without consequence for too long,' now begone I have things that require my attention."

"You have my word my lord, Emile Picani will rue the day he betrayed your leadership." And with that, the man left to presumably send his leader's message.

~ Meanwhile ~

"Oh come and V, I want you to be able to actually enjoy your gift before we have to deal with getting some clients!" Emile was practically skipping as he marched with a purpose towards his shop.

"Ugh, your cheery attitude is too bright this early in the morning, that paired with the sun and I think I'm actually going blind" Virgil dragged his feet as his mentor was buzzing with excitement. "Can you please tell me why we're walking down the cold, dew covered street at six o'clock in the morning, my 'gift' can't be worth this agony!" Virgil tipped his head back and slapped his hands at his sides from beside his ears for making air quotes at the word 'Gift,' as he rolled the last Y into a groan.

"Well, I never expected you to be such an emo V. If you don't want to see the gift we can just turn around!" Emile whipped around planting his hands on his hips in a fatherly way.

"NOOOOOOO! That would take longer than the rest of the walk this way, and I mean I do want to see it but why do we need time before opening, we only have clients coming in today. And what does it have to do with piano sheet music? I AM CONFUSION!" Virgil waved his arms around wildly out of confusion and frustration.

"Well, you'll see. But my god who taught you such horrendous grammar?" Emile made a face of pure disgust at his word choice.

"It just sounded funny in my head, and when I get really tired my usual filter is thrown out the window." Virgil was just able to get out his sentence between bouts of belly laughter.

"Well, cheer up Buttercup since we're here!" Emile made an overdramatic popping sound at the 'P' in 'Buttercup.' Virgil looked up and sighed in relief that his mentor hadn't tricked him like he had five other times this morning. By the time Virgil turned back to face Emile the bubbly man was already at the door, but for some reason, he wasn't so bubbly. Emile quickly shaved a piece of paper in his pocket aligning back up and looked back to Virgil with an unreadable expression, a mask. "I hope you don't plan on standing there all day you got a gift to see!"

"This better be worth it." Virgil, despite being critical, ran up to Emile with a giddy grin on his face.

Emile simply smiled and opened the door holding the door open for Virgil who had to squint due to the lack of light streaming in through the windows facing the barely lit street. Emile started walking around the clinic with a box of matches lighting candles and opening the few curtains left closed on his way. slowly but surely the room became visible and up against the west wall near the window was a cube-shaped object under a white sheet. Virgil stared at it a few seconds in disbelief at the sheer size of this 'gift,' he looked back over at Emile whose arms were crossed over his chest as he simply nodded.

"What in the hell could be this big?" Virgil asked as he ran his hand over the sheet on top of the object. He took a few seconds silently praising Emile for his care before he ripped off the sheet revealing a medium sized, natural hue, Grand piano. Virgil gasped in shock, it was nothing compared to the many instruments back in the palace, but for where it was and the quality of the instrument, he could guess that Emile spent quite a large amount of money on it. "Emile I can't accept this you must have spent so much money on this."

"Well... I didn't spend a penny, I own this old thing. I had kept it locked up in the attic since my wife left, and I thought it would be of better use here. I can use it during sessions and you can play for the people waiting. It's a win-win situation." Emile smiled warmly at Virgil before he walked up to the piano and opened the lid and propped it up. "Would you mind playing something?"

"Um, SURE!" Virgil practically pounced on the bench and placed a sheet of music above the keys, and within seconds he started playing with the skills of an expert.


	9. Chapter 9 ~ This is Riddikulus ~ Part 2

"Ding, Ding," The clinic had been open to the public for almost an hour when the door-chimes sang their shrill song announcing the arrival of Dr. Emile Picani's first client of the day, which happened to be Eliott a frequent client fo Emile's. Virgil shot up from his seat at the piano surprised by the sound after sitting in silence admiring his new gift for the last ten minutes. This knocked over the bench in the process, which led to a huge crash that freaked Eliott out and they then knocked over a large house plant sitting by the door causing the pot it was in to shatter, so within five seconds the once silent shop was in an uproar of bangs and other loud noises.

"YOU ARE TO GET OUT OF MY CLINIC NOW YOU-" Emile burst through his office door holding a bow-staff ready to cause some serious internal bleeding to the suspected intruder. "What in the sam hill, happened in here?"

"Ugh, that stupid bell, scared the shit outa' me and I guess I scared the shit out of Eliott." Virgil untangled his limbs and stood up off the floor brushing the scuff marks out of his pants.

"Language, young man." Emile placed his right hand on his hip scowling at his apprentice.

"Latin," Virgil smirked at his elder amused with his disregard for Emile's opinions on profanity, but being the kind soul he is Emile just grinned at such childish disobedience. "Sorry I scared you there Eliott. You're the first person to pay this ol' shack a visit this morning, it was dead silent till that stupid bell went off."

"Y-you're good I'm just a little jumpy that's all." Eliott gave Virgil a reassuring smile before remembering they had knocked over Emile's plant.

Eliot's smile was wiped clean of their face as they whipped around to see a pile of leaves and dirt with shattered pottery mixed in, "Gee Manetti, I'm sorry Doc, I can buy you a new one after payday, next Saturday." Emile's grin morphed into a look of confusion until he saw what Eliott was referring to.

"OH, that. Don't you do nothing about it, it's just a plant heck I wouldn't spend a dime on it and it's my plant. But I do believe that this profane speaking youth here would be glad to clean this room up while we start our session for today." Without another word from any of the persons in said room Emile rush Eliott into his office and closed the door, Leaving Virgil to begrudgingly clean the mess.

What looked like a large, difficult mess to clean up turned out to be a simple and quick job of picking up big chunks of plant and pottery and sweeping the floor clear of any dirt. After fifteen minutes of cleaning and rearranging misplaced furniture, Virgil was once again able to sit at the refurbished piano and play another tune from his new collection.  
Virgil had performed, to perfection, the rhythmic song and many more until completing his unplanned solo concert. Virgil sighed in admiration, but yet again, for the second time that morning, he almost flipped himself and the bench upended as his self-praising thoughts were interrupted by applause coming from his mentor's now open office door.

"Well done Virge, you were not kidding when you said you knew how to play." Emile's face was overtaken by a grand smirk filled with pride, but it almost seemed as though his pride was being given to another.

"Yeah, that was some of the best piano playings I've ever heard, granted I've only heard street music, but still that was awesome!" Eliott's usually melancholic look about them melted away and in its place was an awe-struck grin, they never stopped clapping even as they spoke.

"Ugh, no, I don't do compliments. I am not that good either my mom could play an entire song after just skimming the sheet music. She's the one who got me playing actually, but after she got sick Logan took up the role of teaching me. Crap I miss the hell out of her." Virgil turned back to the piano as his eyes filled with tears. "She would've loved you, Emile."

"Oh, I know." Virgil froze as Emile realized what he said, "Well what I mean is if she is anything like you I'm sure I would love her too, I apologize for what I insinuated."

"It's good, you just caught me off guard that's all." Virgil sighed and stretched his stiff arms out form his center, right as he calmed his emotionally and physically stressed body the front door flew open and the bell's song played once more.

In came Clients number two, another usual at Emile's clinic Dot and her husband Larry. They come to Picani for marriage counseling but considering their myriad of disagreements they are always able to leave Emil's office with a bond stronger than steel. Today must have been a day with a more difficult dilemma since they were bickering with one another before the door was even shut.

"Welcome back you two, Eliott I think I'll have to cut farewells today short." Emile leaned in and whispered the last bit to Eliott. "Here we'll get straight(Gay-) into today's session come along." Emile then guided his two clients into his office.

"Um, those two are something." Eliott followed Emile's small group until the office door shut completely.

"Yep," Virgil replied popping the 'P,'" That is very true my non-binary pal."


End file.
